7 ways sleep can change your life
Sleep can be one of your power tools in your life tool belt. You will see immediate benefits by getting enough sleep, getting up early, and taking advantage of that quiet time before breakfast. Waking up early and going to bed early is a learned practice for most people but we promise you will love the outcome. Here are some time-specific effects of sleep and how it will impact your control of time:
- Increase productivity and performance: Just one hour of sleep debt can increase your productivity by 25 percent! In the workplace, its effects can be seen in efficiency and productivity while decreasing errors and accidents.
- No more daytime drowsiness: Want to make the day go by very slowly? Don’t sleep! Who wants to feel groggy and foggy throughout the day? With enough sleep, your creativity and ability to listen effectively will greatly improve.
- Improve your mood: One of the first things to go when you become sleep-deprived is to improve your mood. Aiming for at least 7–8 hours of sleep will increase your ability to manage your patience. Tired? Try not to take on frustrating tasks, interact with irritating people, or generally engage in too much social interaction when you are very short on sleep. https://www.slumbersecrets.com/research/sleep-deprivation/
- Reduce stress and anxiety: Normal day-to-day stress will hit you even harder with no sleep. And then the extra stress and anxiety could cause a night without sleep! It’s a vicious cycle. You will feel more and more confident as you increase your sleep quality and lower your stress hormones significantly.
- Energy: Regenerative rest is critical for our health as well as a natural source of energy. Sleep helps us recuperate from day-to-day activities. While we sleep, our tissues are repaired, we recover from physical fatigue and emotional and intellectual demands while we sleep.
Reference: http://www.oprah.com/health/how-to-sleep-better-and-have-more-energy/all#ixzz55J7gQ9F9 - Increase your income: By having enough sleep, you are also increasing your performance and reducing the chance of mistakes, you could increase your income by 5%! When we are alert and in a better mood we tend to be more agreeable when leading or working with teams. We are also able to access creative thoughts more readily. This could lead to more opportunities and growth in your career or business.
Reference: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2017/05/30/how-to-earn-more-money-get-more-sleep/#55f9f4dc6f2e - Reduce illness: When you’re sleep-deprived, your body’s immune system is not given the time to recharge properly. Study after study has revealed that people who sleep poorly are at greater risk for a number of diseases and health problems; obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, anxiety etc.
Reference: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/expert-answers/lack-of-sleep/faq-20057757 - BONUS – Life longevity: The point of sleep is not just to help you feel more refreshed but to allow the cells in your muscles, organs, and brain to repair and renew each night. Sleep also helps regulate your metabolism and how your body releases hormones. When these processes are out of whack due to lack of sleep, it can increase your risk of health problems.
Reference: https://www.healthambition.com/health-benefits-sleeping/
The bottom line, by getting more sleep, we can be better versions of ourselves and enjoy life more. Your workouts, family time, tasks at home or the office, your weekends… you will be more energetic and present. Of course, we will lose sleep once in a while, but most of the time, we can choose when we go to bed. So sweet dreams, put away those devices at least an hour before bed, grab a book, maybe add lavender on your pillow and sleep well, mes amis.
Sleep. Live. Repeat.
Sweet dreams!
Estelle Johnston
Community Manager at Dovico.com – Give Time Meaning